Venetian blind bottom rail and clip



Jan. 13, 1959 H. F. MASON ET AL 2,868,282

VENETIAN BLIND BOTTOM RAIL AND CLIP Original Filed March 27, 1956 24 Fig.

Hal E Mason A/ber/ 5. Long IN V EN TORS VENET IAN. BLIND BQTTQM, AND; CLIP Hal 1?. Mason and-Albert E. Long, Bellaire, Ohio Originalapplication Mal-@1 27, 195,6,Serial No. 574,130. and; ,this application July; i 17, 1957, ,Serial No.

claims; oi. 160-173) This invention relates to a Venetian, blind bottom, rail and clip by which -to support thevenetian blind .tapes and cords. This applicationis -a division of" our pending ap: licat-ion'U. S: Serial-No.- 5-7'4 ,l30:

An object of-the invention" is to'provide aVenetian blind bottom rail and clip combination by which Venetian blinds may be constructed more rapidly and with minimal expense. In addition our bottom rail and clip cooperate to form a single means to support both tapes and cords in a unique manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improvement in a Venetian blind, the improvement centering about the bottom rail. By virture of the bottom rail construction and the clips at the ends of the rails, the tapes are far more easily assembled with the slats of the blind and the lifting cords of the blind are attached by an exceedingly simple maneuver involving merely the placement of the cords and the slipping of the clips in place on the bottom rail.

Other objects and features of importance will become apparent in following the description of the illustrated form of the invention.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a Venetian blind showing our bottom rail and clip assembled in a typical blind;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the bottom rail of the blind in Figure 1 with one clip exploded therefrom;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 and showing the way that the tapes are attached to the clip; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1 showing principally the way that one of the cords of the blind in Figure l is connected with the bottom rail and clip.

In the accompanying drawing there is a fragmentary part of a Venetian blind 10. We have illustrated three slats 12, 14 and 16 of an indefinite number of such slats depending on the length of the blind. Bottom rail 18 constitutes a part of this invention and is beneath a lowermost slat 16. The ends of the slats are provided with means 20 by which to hold the lifting cords 22 and 24 captive but yet enable them to work properly. The means the tapes are ordinary laddertapes, but they each have hems 40 and 42 at their lower extremities, the hems being open ended.

Identical clips 44 and 46 are fitted on the ends of the bottom rail 18 and are adapted to support the two tapes 30 and 32 and the two lifting cords 22 and24 respectively. Clip 44(Figures 2 and 3) is in the-form of a hollow casing of generally rectangular cross-section. It has a top, wall 47, a bottom wall 48'paralle1 to the top .wall, together with side walls 49: and 50 andv an end wall 51;

The opposite end of theclip 44 is open to enable the clip, to be slipped over one end'of, bottom rail 18 with:

the cavity in clip 44. acceptingsnugly the end of bottom rail 18.

Matching indents 55' and 56 areformed in the side walls 28 and 27 of the bottom arailaltig and: thereare;

. matchingindents 57 and 53 formed in the sidesSOxand 49 20 in the form of clips, constitute the subject matter of a separate application for patent.

Our bottom rail 18 is in the form of an elongate hollow box that has an upper wall 25, a lower parallel wall 26 and side walls 27 and 28. The cross-section of the bottom rail 18 is rectangular (Figure 4) and it is preferred that the bottom rail be made of sheet metal, although other materials of construction may be adopted. Moreover, bottom rail 18 need not be hollow. However, this is the simplest and most inexpensive type of construction of which we are aware at the present time.

The blind has tapes 30 and 32 of standard construction. These tapes may be made of fabric or of plastic, and they have cross members 34 on which slats 12, 14 and 16 and the others of the blind are disposed. Therefore ofthe. clip. 44; The indents form pairs. consistingof indents 56,.58,tand;indents 55,1571 Thesenesnwithleach; other. when; clip-44ristslipped. over the end; of 1 bottom t rail 22. When snapped in place clip 44 holds firmly to the bottom rail 18.

The top wall 25 of bottom rail 18 has at its ends outwardly opening slots 62. There is slot 64 formed in top wall 47 of clip 44, the slot 64 having smoothly curved and outwardly opening side walls which diverge toward the open end of clip 44. Lifting cord 22 has a knot 76 at its lower end. In assembling the clip 44 on bottom rail 18, the knot is fitted beneath the surface of wall 25 of bottom rail 18 with the cord 22 passing through slot 62. Then, when the clip 44 is inserted over the end of rail 18 the cord 22 passes into slot 64. The narrow part of the slot 64 accommodates the cord (Figure 4) hold ing the knot 76 captive within the bottom. rail 18 and also within the confines of clip 44. In this: position the pairs of indents snap together.

Upstanding plates 73 and 84 are formed along the edges of walls 49 and 50 of clip 44. Each has a pair of inwardly extending fingers, for example fingers 81 and 82 on plate 78. They are aligned with each other and coaxial but spaced slightly to enable hem 40 to be slipped over the two fingers. This is all that is necessary for assembling one side of tape 30 with clip 44. The fingers 83 and 84 of plate 89 have the hem 42 slipped thereover. It is understood that this is all that is necessary to assemble the tapes with the bottom rail.

In operation, the Venetian blind using a bottom rail and clip in accordance with the invention, is the same as any ordinary Venetian blind. When the tilt cords are pulled, the blind slats will tilt. When the lifting and lowering cords are pulled, the blind will be lifted and lowered. However, in assembling a blind which utilizes the principles of the invention, all that is necessary is the application of the knotted cords in slot 62, assembly of the ladder tapes with the pairs of fingers on the end clips, and the slipping of the end clips in place on the bottom rail 18. A very effective and easy manner of assembly is achieved in this way.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a Venetian blind which has tapes and lifting cords, a bottom rail having a slot within which one of the lifting cords is fitted, a knot within the lifting cord beneath the slot, a clip fitted over the end of the bottom rail, said clip being a hollow casing having side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, said top wall having a slot within which the cord is fitted when the clip is slipped over the end of the bottom rail, and means by which to fasten to one of the ladder tapes of the blind and thereby secure the ladder tape to the bottom rail.

2. In a Venetian blind which has tapes and lifting cords, a bottom rail having a slot Within which one of the lifting cords is fitted, a knot within the lifting cord beneath the slot, a clip fitted over the end of the bottom rail, said clip being a hollow casing having side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, said top wall having a slot within which the cord is fitted when the clip is slipped over the end of the bottom rail, means by which to fasten to one of the ladder tapes of the blind and thereby secure the ladder tape to the bottom rail, said tape fastening means including a pair of coaxial fingers spaced slightly from each other to form a tape entrance, and the tape having a hem at its lower end which accepts said fingers thereby securing the tape to the clip.

3. The bottom rail and clip of claim 2 wherein there 20 are indents in the side walls of said bottom rail, corresponding and matching indents in the side walls of said clip, said indents nesting with each other when said clip 4 is applied to said bottom rail and thereby locking said clip in place on said bottom rail.

4. The bottom rail and clip of claim 2 wherein the slot in said clip has diverging side walls which overlie the upper wall of said bottom rail.

5. In a Venetian blind which has lifting cords and tapes, the combination of a bottom rail, clips at the ends of said bottom rail, each clip having means to attach to the tapes means to attach to the lifting cords of the blind, said bottom rail having hollow ends and slots in said ends in which the cords are adapted to fit, and said clips having slots with portions aligned with said bottom rail slots to form passages for said cords when the clips are attached to the ends of said bottom rail.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 405,805 Smith June 25, 1889 2,295,434 Stuber Sept. 8, 1942 2,387,419 Thexton Oct. 23, 1945 2,561,141 Schaefer July 17, 1951 

